What stuff is cheaper to buy in US compared to the UK?

User3890

Im travelling to the US soon and I'm wondering what stuff is genuinely cheaper to buy there than in the UK. For example, an iPhone is around £150 cheaper (the one I'm looking at) due to the exchange rate. But are there other examples? I need a new leatherman - cheaper in the US? And some new clothing...

Any ideas on what to pick up on my last day when ill be shopping :-)

Murphy_The_Cat

User3890 wrote: »

Im travelling to the US soon and I'm wondering is there anything genuinely cheaper to buy there than in the UK. For example, an iPhone is around £150 cheaper (the one I'm looking at) due to the exchange rate. But are there other examples? I need a new leatherman - cheaper in the US? And some new clothing...

Any ideas on what to pick up on my last day when ill be shopping :-)

Work on the theory that 'stuff' is the same price in $$'s as we pay in ££'s at your starting point, to decide if its worth your time..

Also factor in US sales tax, potentially poor exchange rate when you pay (dependant on payment method), and import duty/VAT when you arrive home.

bigadaj

Well cars seem cheaper but the excess baggage charges might be problematic.

shaun_from_Africa

A very good way to compare prices is to use Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.


Leatherman Wingman.
UK. £38.62
USA. $29.60 (about £19.75) Price inclusive of sales tax of 6%


Leatherman Wave Black oxide.
UK. £99.02
USA. $93.26 (about £62). Price inclusive of sales tax of 6%


You can bring back £390 worth of goods before you are liable for any VAT and import duty and even if only a small amount over, it's very rare to actually get charged anything.

Murphy_The_Cat

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

You can bring back £390 worth of goods before you are liable for any VAT and import duty and even if only a small amount over, it's very rare to actually get charged anything.

But if you do get 'pulled over for a word', you will be liable for VAT/Duty/Phatbears Christmas party fund.

Anecdocatally, the chance of being pulled over for drink driving are extremely slim, but it doesn't make the penalties any less harsh.

Indout96

Where in US are you going ? Tourist areas will be as above at about £/$ so 33% cheaper
Non-Tourist areas will be up to half UK price, maybe less. Cheapest we have ever seen were in Texas. Be prepared to drive a couple of hours and you can see prices drop considerably.

jackieblack

When I was investigating buying an iPhone for my daughter in the US I was advised against as they are different and work on different bands(?) and the bands used in the US are not supported in the UK.
(Although this was a couple of years ago, maybe the technology is different now?)

Moto2

It's not impossible to get A US iPhone that'll work OK in the UK but you have to be careful which one you choose.
That said, the saving isn't that great anyway

silvercar

Problem with the iPhone is that the warranty is no longer worldwide. So any issues and you would need to pay postage or wait until a future trip.

silvercar

Certain medicines/ vitamins are cheaper in the US.

It is also a way of obtaining items classified as prescription only medicines in the Uk that can be bought as health supplements in America eg melatonin.

flybynight

I find jeans are not only cheaper, but they do comfier fitting ones. I like their wranglers as they do chunkier in the thighs without going up in the waist / !!! ( I think they advertise them as footballer cut) so I always end up buying about 4 pairs. I think they work out about a tenner a pair. as with a lot of stuff I find it aint that much cheaper , but what you get is better. ( I can buy asda jeans for less than a tenner but they are nowere near as good)